Vale Design : Freelance Package Design & Branding

Shop Love :: Buy Olympia

I LOVE this shop! LOVE LOVE LOVE. Buy Olympia features handmade work from over 50 many talented artists and groups. This shop has just about something for everyone. Books, food related goods, shirts, stationery & notepads, prints & posters, jewelry, kids, calendars & planners and much more! They also have a "Cool Gift Idea" section to help you brainstorm the perfect gift. You just might be able to do all of your holiday shopping in one place. I am loving this Yellow Owl Workshop Color Wheel necklace that I saw featured on an Oh Joy post earlier this month. I might have to keep that one as a gift to myself!

{found via Oh Joy}

{image credits Buy Olympia}

Shop Love :: Binth

Hello everyone! I am back from a much needed holiday brain break. I am ready to get back to work and the site...well, I thought I was ready until I remembered we have hit "that time of year" again. Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday have come and gone {sort of}. Gift guides are/will be popping up all over blogs to help direct you to some cool internet gift ideas for the upcoming holidays. I am looking to DIY most of our gifts this year to family and friends. For the gifts I will not be making, I am looking to support some really cool internet shops that feature some unique products. I will be posting some of my favorite shops throughout the month of December.

One of these shops is Binth. They are a Chicago company that features baby books, stationery, home office products, prints and posters. One of my favorite products they offer is the Numbers Poster. Site / Blog / Twitter / Facebook

{image credits Binth}

New & Old Packaging Dieline Reference Site

DESIGNERS, BOOKMARK THIS SITE! Holy smokes, I stumbled onto the most AMAZING dieline reference site I have ever seen! The site is Jason Liebig's Flickr photostream and it is chalked FULL of hundreds of flattened {front, side and back visible} new and old packaging dielines. I strolled down marketing memory lane last night for a good two hours! Just put it in slideshow mode and enjoy the large detailed shots of products from a range of categories. Great site to be inspired by grids, typography, branding, color palettes, violators, vintage, etc. Jason...THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK!!!

{image credits Jason Liebig}

Etsy Find :: Riki Zarris

Loving this Blue Orange Chevron printed piece by Riki Zarris! Beautiful art for only $35! The Riki Zarris Etsy shop has lovely patterned artwork in varying color palettes for very reasonable prices. Give to a friend as a hostess gift or just keep it for yourself...or do both!

Vale Design Work :: Summit Brands New Glisten Packaging

One of my latest freelance package design projects, Glisten by Summit Brands, has been finalized and is making its way to a shelf near you! Click here to see which of the above designs was chosen as the final. I love to design packaging for the cleaning aisle. Sad, but true!

Other Summit Brand products I have designed and/or collaborated on are shown below...including the Summit logo which was recently chosen to be included in the Logo Lounge Master Series: Shapes & Symbols book. Click here to see the full Vale Design Portfolio.

{image credits Vale Design}

Quote :: Barbra Streisand

Our Thanksgiving Menu Recipes

As I mentioned earlier, my husband and his twin have decided that they would like to have a Thanksgiving "dress rehearsal" dinner at our home this Saturday night. That just means that we will be having Thanksgiving dinner for eleven people this weekend and then AGAIN next week. I just think these two want to have turkey dinner as many times as they can! Stay tuned throughout the day for the recipes we will be making!

mmm...Monday :: Sweet Potato Casserole

INGREDIENTS

4 pounds sweet potatoes
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup half-and-half or milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Topping

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/2 cup flaked coconut {optional}

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°. Peel and cube sweet potatoes. Place in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Or alternately, bake sweet potatoes on a baking sheet at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Let cool slightly, then peel.

Combine sweet potatoes, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and next 4 ingredients. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Spoon into greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

Combine 1 cup brown sugar and flour. Cut in 1/4 cup butter with pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Stir in pecans and if desired, coconut. Sprinkle over casserole.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly around edges.

*NOTE* Casserole can be made through step 3 and refrigerated until ready to bake. Allow to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before baking.

**This is a great holiday side dish, but it tastes like dessert! We do not use the coconut. The Sis-In-Law made this for the very first Thanksgiving my husband and I ever hosted. It was soooooooo good! A definite recipe staple for me. Great to bring as a prepared side dish if you are not hosting this year! Enjoy!

{image credit bengarland}

mmm...Monday :: Pumpkin Pie

INGREDIENTS

3 cups canned pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
pastry for 10 inch pie {or store bought pie crust}
frozen whipped topping, thawed {optional}

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425°. Combine first 9 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well. Pour filling mixture into pastry shell in a 9.5 or 10 inch deep dish pie plate. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and bake 50 more minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cover and store in refrigerator. Serve with whipped topping if desired.

**Let's face it, pumpkin pie is a Thanksgiving must have. This is my grandmother's recipe and we have it every year. So tasty and easy to make. Whipped topping is not even a question, it's a must! From my Grandmother to you, enjoy!

{image credit Pillsbury.com} Make sure to check out the Pillsbury Pumpkin Pie recipe as well!

mmm...Monday :: Dill Dip

INGREDIENTS

2 cups sour cream
3 tablespoons dried parsley
2 cups mayonnaise {not salad dressing}
3 teaspoons dried dill
3 tablespoons minced green onion
2 teaspoons celery salt

DIRECTIONS

Mix together all ingredients and let set over night. Can be served with raw vegetables or with a round loaf of rye bread. If using bread, cut top off and hollow out. Put dip in hollowed out part then tear pieces of bread and garnish on top of dip.

**I love this dip! My sister-in-law makes it. I am a big fan of snacking on healthy raw vegetables during the holidays and this dip is so delicious and super easy to make! Enjoy!

{image credit Saint Claire Studio}

mmm...Monday :: Grandpa's Salad

INGREDIENTS

a couple heads of iceberg lettuce
tomatoes, cubed
cucumbers, peeled and cubed {remove seeds if you prefer}
olive oil
red wine vinegar
dried oregano {start with 1-2 tablespoons}
salt
pepper

DIRECTIONS

Wash all vegetables. Cut up lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and red wine vinegar. Season to taste with dried oregano, salt and pepper.

**There are no real measurements to this recipe. It is a "to taste" recipe. This salad is a STAPLE at any dinner/lunch we have at my grandparents. All of us have made it at one point. It is almost a right of passage if my Grandfather hands you a piece of prepared lettuce and says "Here, taste this." From my grandparent's home to yours, enjoy!

{image credit sps_david}

mmm...Monday :: Grandma's Stuffing

** for a 14-16 pound turkey **

INGREDIENTS

1 pound sweet Italian sausage, crumbled
1 medium onion, diced
6 stalks celery, diced
1 pound mushrooms
5 cloves garlic, minced
8 tablespoons butter
1 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons dried sage
6 cups dried bread {Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing}

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325°. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add crumbled sausage and brown 4 minutes. Add onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, cook 5 minutes. Add garlic, cook 2-3 minutes. Add butter and stock, bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add sage. In a medium mixing bowl, pour sausage mixture over bread crumbs. Mix until bread softens. Place stuffing in a buttered 9 x 13 inch dish and cover with foil. Bake in oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, uncovering for the last 15 minutes so it will brown. Serve in baking dish.

**I am not a huge fan of stuffing, but every year I make a MAJOR exception for this recipe. I do not eat red meat, but this is so freakin' good I pick around the sausage! This is served as a side dish/sandwich ingredient the next day in my family. From my grandparent's home to yours, enjoy!

{image credit Photo Bela}

mmm...Monday :: Simple Fruit Salad

INGREDIENTS 

strawberries
green grapes
blueberries  {I prefer fresh not frozen}
clementines

DIRECTIONS

Rinse fruit. Slice strawberries. Peel and tear clementines into slices. Mix together. Super simple and super healthy!

**Good morning everyone! Since we are getting ready for a holiday this weekend, I thought I would share some of my favorite go-to recipes for entertaining or visiting family and friends. I prefer healthy foods that do not require a lot of prep time to make and are easy pitch-in dishes. Lots of great recipes today! Make sure to check back often!

This recipe is so simple, and is a great snack at breakfast or lunch for guests. This dish even works well as a light dessert. I had this first at my sister-in-law's home while visiting for a holiday. It has been a staple in my house ever since. Just make a bunch and pull out as needed. Feel free to substitute your favorite fruit combinations! 

{image credit R-n-D}

{the uncle's} Peach, Blackberry, Raspberry pie recipe

INGREDIENTS

2 c. peeled ripe peaches - cut into small pieces
1 c. blackberries
1 c. raspberries
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. cinnamon
store bought or make your own pie crust

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425°. Place bottom pie crust in 9 inch pie pan or glass pie dish. Fork dough. Mix the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add to the fruit, gently stir and let stand for 15 minutes. Place fruit mixture into pie pan and cover with remaining pie crust. Crimp edges and fork top to add steam vents. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cover edges with foil if they are cooking too quickly.

**My uncle made this for me one time and it has been my favorite ever since. Serve with vanilla ice cream for added goodness. Enjoy! 

 

{is your mouth watering yet?}

mmm...Monday :: Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parm and Bread Crumbs

{full title: Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese and Bread Crumbs} 

INGREDIENTS

1 T. unsalted butter, plus 1/2 cup {1 stick} unsalted butter melted
4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 T. dried plain bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Coat 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish with the 1 tablespoon of butter. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook potatoes until they are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain; return the potatoes to the same pot and mash well. Beat in the milk and melted butter, then mix in mozzarella cheese and 3/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the potatoes to the prepared baking dish. In a small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs and remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the mashed potatoes. {The dish can be prepared to this point up to 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Bring back to room temperature before baking.} Bake uncovered until the topping is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

**Ok. My grandfather makes some of the best mashed potatoes I have ever eaten, but this recipe is a close second place! Great as a side dish with any meat entree.  Easy and delicious...the two main reasons I love Giada's recipes. Click here for original recipe. Can also be found in her book, Giada's Family Dinners.

Have a wonderful time cooking for family and guests this holiday weekend!

 

{image credit Dr. Hemmert}

The perks of my job

There are many perks to my job as a freelance graphic designer. Freedom. Amazing clients. Flexible hours. Days off whenever I feel like it. The ability to choose who I work for and with. Now I can add DELICIOUS and LOVELY meeting take-home treats from my patisserie client! My meeting consisted of fresh coffee, fresh baked cookies and some of the best macarons I have ever tasted! I am lucky I heard a word she said...

Le Dolce Vita Patisserie packaging is almost done and the shop will open in a couple of months. Let's just say I am glad that the bakery will be one city away from my office. Otherwise, this graphic designer would gain some serious weight!

Thanks Kelly for the tasty treats! They were good and they are gone! ~ Erin's stomach :)

ps Pictured above is Vanilla, Chocolate and one of their seasonal flavors, Pumpkin Spice. These would wow any guest at any party or holiday gathering! **INDY LOCALS ** Contact them now to plan your event. They are booking up quick!

Quote :: Wynonna Judd

Illustrator Lucile Prache

These breathtaking watercolors are the work of French illustrator Lucile Prache. Her illustration style and color palette are so lovely. These would make great hostess and/or holiday gifts!

Check out more of her gorgeous artwork on her Site / Blog / Shop

{image credits Lucile Prache and Lucile's Kitchen}

Sparrow & Co Candle Collection

This candle packaging from Sparrow&Co makes me weak in the knees. I love the color palette and pattern work by London based illustrator Debbie Powell. Check out more of Debbie's gorgeous patterns. Site / Blog / Shop

{found via Design Work Life}

{image credits Sparrow&Co and Debbie Powell} 

InStyle Magazine Best of the Web 2010

The 2010 November issue of InStyle magazine is out and they are naming names...the names of the Best of the Web Online Shopping. The list features 223 websites that focus on fashion, beauty and home. Remember holiday shopping is right around the corner. Congrats everyone!

What sites are your favorites? Did they make the list?

{images credits InStyle and Minted}

Gifted Magazine by Creature Comforts

RUN DON'T WALK PEOPLE! Ez, of Creature Comforts blogging fame, has just released the first issue of Gifted Magazine and it is eye candy galore! Gorgeous photography, diy tutorials, gift ideas for everyone, free printables, recipes etc. Lovely articles and interviews with some of your favorite designers, blogger and illustrators. If only all online magazine could be this lovely...Congrats Ez!

{image credits Creature Comforts}

mmm...Monday :: Moscow Mule

** ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE **

INGREDIENTS

1 ounce vodka
1 teaspoon sugar syrup
fresh lime juice
1/2 cup ginger beer
1 sprig fresh mint
1 slice lime

DIRECTIONS

In a copper mug, pour vodka over ice. Add sugar syrup and lime juice. Top with ginger beer and stir. Garnish with mint sprig and lime slice.

**Go Oprah! I saw this recipe on her show last week and it seems interesting enough to try. This might have to make an appearance at our Thanksgiving "dress rehearsal." Original recipe found here.

I have been under the impression that I was not hosting Thanksgiving this year. My husband and I will be traveling {in multiple directions} for the holiday. Well, this weekend I found out that my husband and his twin would like to have a Thanksgiving "dress rehearsal" {basically a whole Thanksgiving dinner!} the weekend before the actual holiday with his family that lives close. Did I mention that they would like to do this at my house! Needless to say, now all of my cookbooks are scattered all over our kitchen with bookmarks on way too many recipes! I will be posting the recipes we will be using at our little feast on the mmm...Monday posts leading up to the holiday. I am also hoping to include some Take-Along Treat printables and recipes again this year.